Tottenham Hotspur, cornered, is set to appoint Roberto De Zerbi as manager. However, some fans are firmly opposed.
The Telegraph of the U.K. reported on the 30th (Korea time), "De Zerbi has faced opposition from fans even before joining Tottenham. Remarks defending Mason Greenwood during his time at Marseille have caused controversy," it reported.
The outlet said, "De Zerbi is likely to take charge at Tottenham. But four supporters groups argued he should not be appointed as manager because of remarks he made about Greenwood during his time at Marseille. Currently, Tottenham, in crisis, have offered De Zerbi a five-year contract as they prepare for the period after interim manager Igor Tudor."
Tottenham officially announced their parting with Tudor on the same day. On the surface it was by mutual agreement, but in reality it was effectively a sacking. He had been appointed as a fire-fighting replacement last month after Thomas Frank, but he managed only one draw and four losses in the Premier League. As a result, Tottenham plunged to 17th and faced relegation danger.
Tottenham, now searching for their next manager. The appointment of De Zerbi is already effectively settled. According to several local outlets including the BBC, the two sides have almost reached an agreement.
Many Tottenham fans have already welcomed De Zerbi. He was reportedly planning to take charge only after Tottenham's survival was decided, but he appears to have changed his mind and agreed to join immediately. Sky Sports explained, "De Zerbi originally intended to wait until the summer before deciding his next move, but he is now open to taking the Tottenham job."
However, there are many voices of opposition. According to The Telegraph, 'Women of the Lane', which aims to end misogyny and hate, 'THFC Flags', which makes fans' banners, the official LGBTQ+ fan group 'Proud Lilywhites', and the official race and culture fan group 'Spurs Reach' have joined the 'No to De Zerbi' (opposition to De Zerbi) campaign.
Women of the Lane protested, "We raise serious questions about De Zerbi's judgment and leadership. He is someone Tottenham should not choose," and Proud Lilywhites also pointed out, "It is a very significant problem for someone in that position to publicly defend Greenwood and to speak in a way that downplays the seriousness of the incident."
Women's safety activist Jamie Klingler also strongly criticized, "An organization's culture stems from its leadership. De Zerbi's ambition should disappear along with his anachronistic views on women."
The reason is that De Zerbi signed Greenwood from Marseille in 2024 and defended him. Greenwood was once Manchester United's and England's biggest prospect, but on Jan. 31, 2022, he was arrested on charges of rape and assault of his girlfriend. Later, charges of rape and death threats were also added.
As a result, Greenwood was unable to train with the first team for a time. A prison sentence seemed likely, but the matter was dropped when the girlfriend withdrew her testimony. The prosecution said, "Because the key witness retracted and new evidence emerged, the possibility of a guilty verdict is no longer realistic," and closed the case.
However, because such shocking evidence had been made public, Greenwood's image plummeted and he could no longer continue his career in England. In September 2023 he went on a one-year loan to Getafe in Spain, performed outstandingly, and the following year completed a permanent move to Marseille.
At that time Marseille supporters' opposition was fierce. Even the mayor stepped forward to express opposition. But De Zerbi pushed the transfer through, saying, "Mason is world-class. He has not been signed yet. I don't know what happened, but I don't interfere in players' private lives. But if he comes, I will treat every player like my son."
Afterward De Zerbi continued to defend him, saying, "It is sad how Greenwood has been portrayed in England," and, "He is a good person. He has paid a very high price. We provided him with an appropriate environment and gave him help and affection. He is somewhat introverted but I know him and his family. He is completely different from the image drawn in England."
Some Tottenham fans are opposing the news of De Zerbi's appointment because of these remarks. They say they cannot support a manager who actively defended a player who narrowly avoided being labeled a sex offender. Amid a desperate relegation battle, noises at Tottenham show no sign of stopping.<
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